AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Pratt on July 20, 2008, 04:51:37 AM
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I haven't posted any pictures for a while, thought you all might like to see these
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi232.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee76%2FIanPratt%2FIMG_1172.jpg&hash=14b8b9116743b22616234dfcd6c5671cde2c0b69)
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(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi232.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee76%2FIanPratt%2FIMG_1173.jpg&hash=01a6915890a09103704a9d3379f2516b4616d208)
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I do so love looking at a master's work!!!
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Nice work!!! First, I know this is the worst compliment anyone can give a gun, but NICE piece of wood in the buttstock. Good job getting the patchbox to match up with the figure. Did you forge the triggerguard on this one too? I love the wide spur and bevels on the bow and grip rail. I don't know my iron mounted/southern guns, is this based on any in particular? Thanks for sharing,
-Eric
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Beautiful work Ian. Thanks for posting the pics. What sort of finish is that? Is that your cartouche on the sideplate?
Ken
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Fantastic! You have some serious skill Ian.
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Beautiful gun Ian. will it be at the CLA?
Regards,
Pletch
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Ian, I love it. Great overall, but I really like the lock/wrist architecture.
What size/cal. is she? Looks like it could be early and large.
Thanks for the pics, Kevin
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VERY cool. Love the shapes through the lock area and the T.G. Has the feel of a Southern rifle with East of Reading influence. We know that Valentine Beck from Christian Springs worked in the Moravian community in N. Carolina for instance. Strickly a fantasy but possible.
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Great piece... Thanks for the pics
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nice looking rifle Ian. It turned out great!
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Hi Ian!
I especially like the form of the triggerguard with the reverse hook on the grip rail.It looks as if it provide a secure and comfortable grip.
Did you forge this up yourself?
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Ian she is a beauty. I really like the lines and the finish looks great, in the wood not on it.
Tim C.
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Hello Ian,
Beautiful design and carving. What do you use to finish your iron?
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Thanks guys,I appreciate your comments..
Except Eric, man them's fightin words, Nice Wood? Haven't heard that one since about my first or second rifle. I did forge the trigger guard, made all but the lock and barrel on it. The guard is probably a cross betwen German and Woodbury. My customer had wanted something along the lines of an early American rifle with a lot of Germanic features, of course he gave me a lot of leeway in how I would pull it off. Bill has pretty much nailed how I was seeing it, by no means a copy of an existing piece, really a contemporary gun I suppose.
Here is a better look at the guard
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Ken, that is my stamp on the sideplate, I had another like it but smaller for little blades, etc, but I have lost it. Probably picked it up and beat it into a blade by accident. I used Permalyn finsh on this one, nitric stain.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi232.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee76%2FIanPratt%2FIMG_1162.jpg&hash=02c64a5eb28a15361cf56c0ae358dcf8a8d6fb07)
Kevin It's a .50 cal rifle, was bigger than inch and a sixteenth at the breech I think. the buttplate was a bit under 2 inches at it's widest spot, but I still got a nice shape because the comb is fairly narrow compared to some.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi232.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee76%2FIanPratt%2FIMG_1171.jpg&hash=5e9aeec8d561121f1d017475198cb496c078bf17)
The owner has offered to let me take it to the CLA show, will probably have it at Dixon's too
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The metal finish was done using by applying cold blue and then give it a bleach bath. No boiling on this one , just straight cold bleach. I do it kind of in layers, scrub spots off and re apply to others and drop it back in the bleach. You have to watch or it can get away from you in a hurry.
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Thanks for the extra pictures. The trigger guard is outstanding. Very nice forge and file work. Tell your buyer thanks for letting it go to the CLA show for us to enjoy first hand.
Ken
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That is great. I'm starting to suffer from serious envy for some of the rifles guys are posting.
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i really like the bleach finish.i am sooo glad you are one of our instructors every month in lodi.....
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The metal finish was done using by applying cold blue and then give it a bleach bath. No boiling on this one , just straight cold bleach. I do it kind of in layers, scrub spots off and re apply to others and drop it back in the bleach. You have to watch or it can get away from you in a hurry.
Ian, When you are using that finish on the barrel do you brush the bleach onto the barrel or submerge it? Just wondering what you did to keep bleach out of the bore.
Greg
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Ian... I'd say you pretty much nailed it, GREAT looking rifle! I love the blending of influences associated with the architecture and furniture. Really nice work! Thanks for the pics...
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I like your interpretation of the classic double C-scroll: well within the scope of tradition but original and unique.
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Here's what we're talking about. At the KRA Show last year some very extensive research came to the conclusion that RCA no.42 was strongly attributed to Valentine Beck, sent by the Moravians at Christian Springs to N. Car. A N.C. rifle made by a smith trained in the tradition of Albrecht and Oreter. Ian's expanded this idea into a steel mounted rifle. Though it's a contemporary piece, there's feasible thought behind it. Aside from workmanship, this is the difference between pure fantasy and the plausible.
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Beautiful work, Ian. I love that trigger guard. I look forward to seeing it at the CLA Show.
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Thanks a lot for posting these photos. I just admire the devil outta your work. I do love those 'iron' mounted rifles. :)
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Ian,
That is one FINE looking rifle! Super work! Thanks for the inspiration.
Best Regards,
John Cholin
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Thanks guys, I am glad you all are enjoying the pictures. Bill, man I think you just became the official spokesman for this rifle, let me know what the charges are and I'll see what I can work out out with the owner. It sometimes takes me as long to explain what I have built as it takes me to build it .
Greg, you want to submerge it, I use the same piece of gutter that I use for boiling them. You want to clean out and grease your bore heavy. If you are using a vent liner that must be filed flush, go ahead and install it, then you point up a piece of soft copper wire and drive it into the flash hole, and I put a little drop of varnish on it. If you are using a different type liner, just wait to install it until after the metal finish is done
Make a wood plug that you can knock into the bore at the muzzle, good and tight, then brush a little varnish on it right where it seals, also some at the breech plug threads after putting the breech plug in tight. Now she should be sealed up. Credit where credit is due, I didn't invent all this, I learned it from Hershel House .
After you put it in the vat, if you see many bubbles get it out in a hurry or your bore may also have a nice aged look to it and develop the ability to shoot around corners
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Better late than never. VERY COOL RIFLE!!!!!!!!!
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Ian,
A very handsome rifle indeed! I especially like how you finished the wood and metal. Thanks for the pics and for bringing it to the class for us to see at various stages. Inspiring work.
John